To Lead, and To Follow
by skywolf666
Summary: To the golden-eyed observer, it seemed like suicide. Marching herself, her twin brother, and her two servants between the soon-to-clash armies of Nohr and Hoshido could amount for nothing but their deaths. Was it foolishness, or a wisdom and determination that she had never seen? Aqua simply was not sure. (Fire Emblem: Fates, Chapter 6 spoilers. Revelations pathway.)


"Aidan, you can't agree with this, can you?"

The question came with all seriousness from the golden-eyed songstress, and her expression was grave and her lips thinly pursed into a frown when she spoke. The platinum-haired prince understood her consternation, it was far more than a simple dilemma they had found themselves in, but he was oddly aware that he felt none of the concern that made her raise her quiet voice to him of all people as they stood together, a small and lonely group of five in the field of Hoshido's borderlands in the middle of two separate and bloodthirsty armies.

His sister stood ahead of him, her ruby-coloured eyes focused on the battlefield ahead with Joker on her left and Felicia on her right, and he knew why Aqua had decided to speak to him rather than her. Eve's expression was no longer troubled or uncertain, her eyes were fierce and her expression was pulled into a dangerously determined scowl, and Aidan knew there was no arguing with her when she looked so. Though Aqua did not know his twin as he did, she could see there was no reasoning with the woman who had made her decision loud and clear to the soon-to-be clashing armies of Nohr and Hoshido. So she turned to him, knowing him for a rational and reasonable man, hoping to find a sane voice to pull them through the chaos, but Aidan felt his lips quirking at the realization that for all her wisdom, she had sorely misplaced her hopes.

"On the contrary, Aqua... I agree fully with my sister." Aidan did not turn to face the singer, but he did not need to in order to see her expression crumble with both surprise and disappointment. Her confusion was normal, she had pegged his realism as always being at odds with Eve's idealism, but Aidan did not mind the mistake. He kept his eyes on Eve's back, watching carefully as she spoke calmly and confidently to the two Nohrian servants who had been beside them for the better part of their lives, and his own voice was measured as he continued quietly, "I believe this is the best course of action to take, all things considered."

"How can that be?" Aqua's voice shook with both her surprise and her fear, something that Aidan noted was out of character for the woman who had held herself with such grace and poise thus far. Yet, she hadn't moved back towards the Hoshidan lines even now, when the lines of the incoming battle had been clearly drawn, and for that Aidan gave her credit despite her incredulity with the situation before her. "You refuse to take a side between Nohr or Hoshido, and instead seek to stand between their armies and force an end to the war? Just you, your sister, and your servants? How is that possible? You're a logical man. I know that much of you, if nothing else. You must see the odds are not in your favour, no matter what your sister believes. She will sooner meet death at a sword than see peace achieved between Hoshido and Nohr."

Shaking his head as the words rung out coolly, sharply in his ears despite the growing growl of the armies amassed on either side of their paltry group, Aidan turned his head slightly so he could look at the white-garbed songstress behind him. She met his gaze evenly, searchingly, and he did not make an attempt to hide the small, almost pitying smile that played about his lips as he answered her firmly, "I was once like you, so I can forgive your disbelief in Eve's ideals, and your concern that she is rushing towards death blindly... but you know little of my sister if you think she will give up her life so easily. Her ideals are unrealistic, that much is true, but that does not mean they are without merit... nor does it mean Eve is not fully aware of the difficulty of making her ideals a reality. She knows full well the risks of choosing to forge a third path rather than picking a side... which is why she has asked no one to follow her."

This gave Aqua pause, as Aidan knew it would, and he was satisfied to see her brow furrow further as she looked furtively from him to the woman who had so brazenly stood between Marx and Ryouma and demanded the both of them lower their swords and recall their troops. Her voice had been strong and demanding, unfaltering despite the obvious fear that had wracked her only moments before she had chosen to speak up, and Aqua had to admit that for all the madness, she had to have respect for her courage. Yet, what her twin brother had said was also true, despite Eve's pleas that the princes listen to reason, she had only spoken for herself and not her brother, or the servants who had left the Nohrian lines to join her side when her brothers had withdrawn.

 _"I will not pick and choose which family to support...Which family to go to war against. I refuse. There is something more at play here, something that the both of you are actively choosing to ignore, and I won't allow it to continue as long as I draw breath. If both Hoshido and Nohr wish to go to war, then I will stand between them for as long as I am able. Neither of you will have the war you seek as long as I live. I've lost enough family already, and I certainly won't lose all of you to each other's ignorance and bloodthirst!"_

It had been a stirring speech, one made with ferocious and righteous indignance, but it had not moved either prince in the way Aqua knew Eve had wished it would. Instead both men had looked at her in shock and horror, as if they were seeing her for the first time and beholding some inhuman creature rather than the petite and frail young woman she truly was. Betrayal and injury had crossed their faces and risen in their eyes, and with it came a smouldering sort of wrath as they understood the woman they had called kin was denouncing them so coldly.

For Ryouma it had shown itself viscerally, the samurai withdrew from her almost as if her very presence was toxic, and there had been a stark moment of grief flickering across his helmeted face as he recalled the fresh death of his mother not even a day before. And there was his sister, the bronze blade of Yato in her hand as she stood between him and the murderers of their kin, refusing to side with him and the family who had lost and mourned her and her twin for so many years. Aqua had watched as he looked desperately from her to Aidan, seeking support, seeking justification, and yet the younger prince only held his gaze stoically as he refused to move. He found nothing there to soothe him, and Aqua had flinched noticeably as she watched Ryouma's grief give way to anger as he found no support and instead was given only a quiet but adamant rejection.

Marx, however, had proven much more voluble, but just as desperate as his Hoshidan counterpart when faced with such refusal from Eve. His pleas for his sister to change his mind had come swiftly, indeed, almost at once. Yet, for all his protests and claims of brainwashing, Eve had stood resolute and unflinching. Frustration came before betrayal, followed by a fierce proclamation that he _would_ take her home by force if she refused to move, but then Aidan had intervened, finally stirring from his vigil beside his sister and moving in front of her in a smooth defensive stance.

 _"I think not, Marx. Eve will go only where she deems necessary, with or without your approval. And should you seek to move her by force, then you'll need to remove me from your path, first. And this time, you won't find me as easily knocked aside."_

Aidan's claim, and his unspoken allegiance to his sister's decision, had been what truly rocked the Nohrian. Aqua had seen the way his frustration morphed into confusion, hurt, and then rage in rapid succession with Aidan's declaration. He did not need to vocalize his choice, it was clear in his actions that he would remain Eve's guardian, even if it meant turning his blade to his kin, and the realization had shaken the Nohrian commander greatly. He was quick to call them both traitors, his burgundy eyes blazing with wrath and pain, but Aidan did not balk even as Eve flinched and closed her eyes momentarily at the denouncement.

Aqua glanced again from twin to twin, watching as Eve turned to Felicia, looking apologetic and concerned, only for the rose-haired servant to smile confidently at her in response. It perplexed the dancer beyond reason, to see the young woman obviously hurting from the title of traitor, yet still refusing to give in to reason and pick a side, and she shook her head slowly as she murmured, more to herself than to anyone present, "I don't understand. Such a path... It is impossible to walk. Even if those here stand with her of their own will... How can so few change the course of the future? Ryouma will not stop from seeking vengeance, and Marx will follow King Garon's orders to put Hoshido to the sword. Eve cannot change this... No one can."

"You do not know my sister, then. If anyone can bring change to Marx or to Ryouma... it is Eve."

The words were spoken confidently, almost as if he was speaking factually, and Aqua looked to him in surprise at the certainty in his voice. His eyes had never left his sister, and his smile was now fully apparent, and full of a fraternal pride. His belief filled his being, making him stand stall and fearless despite the odds he faced, and it made Aqua realize with a pang of envy that he was resolute only because of his steadfast belief in his sister. He had made no moves to act until Eve had, proving himself a follower instead of a leader, but it was a role that suited him despite his age and superior talents as a soldier.

He was a tactician and a keen swordmaster, far more adept in the physical and mental capacities than his younger sister, and yet he had never made an attempt to seem superior. Rather, for all his unwillingness to bow to authority, to meet every challenge with a challenge, it was to his younger and less experienced twin that he gave way to time after time. She was the sole person to command his complete respect, and such a thing gave him grounding and courage in a situation where Aqua herself was at a complete loss.

And that subtle authority given to her by her twin radiated from her, drawing the confidence of the servants who stood beside her, too. Aqua could see it in their expressions, calm and measured despite the mess they had been unwittingly drawn into, and neither had made a move to walk away despite having obviously been given an offer. Eve would not hold an unwilling soul to the cause she had chosen for herself, Aqua was well aware of that, and yet for all the insanity of the mission ahead, Felicia, Joker, and Aidan all seemed willing, even eager, to walk forward at her side for a goal the singer could not imagine as possible.

'Is this what Lady Mikoto meant when she called her 'special'...? Was she referencing the ability to command those willing to follow...? I do not understand. You foresaw much, Mikoto, but in the end, you were still taken from us. If you knew that this is where Hoshido was to go, what did you do to safeguard your kinsman...? Are you putting your hopes in Eve? Would you believe that she can change the course of the world by sheer will alone?' The questions swirled without end, forcing Aqua's lips to pull tighter with both grief and confusion as she remembered that broken body they had left behind in the ruins of the castle town. She had lost two mothers in her lifetime, both dying to protect those they loved, and it left her floundering for grounding as she watched the back of the platinum-haired princess before her.

She was surveying the battlefield, ruby eyes flickering across the drawn lines of battle and the advancing scouts who would open up the first front of the battle, and though her expression was stone and her body language fierce and prepared, there was no hiding her sadness. All the readiness to fight did not make her any less hurt by the situation that she now was dealing with, and the idea that she would still fight, would risk it all to find a peace no one wished for, was almost beyond Aqua. It had been obvious enough to the songstress where the former princess of Hoshido had placed her heart, it had not been Ryouma's words that had cut her deepest, yet she stood against them all the same... It made her shake her head, voice quiet and accidentally loosed as she questioned no one in particular once again, "Is this foolishness... or wisdom?"

"You'll need to decide that for yourself, I think. To some, it's certainly nothing more than suicide... but I don't believe so, and neither do the two at her side." Aidan answered the question calmly, almost kindly, and Aqua looked to him sharply at the change of his tone. It almost seemed patronizing, but there was no hint of insult in his expression as he looked away from his sister and back to her with his calm crimson eyes. "Eve will not drag you into her war, nor will I, but I think I can speak for her when I say she wishes you would join her. You're more like her than you realize, even if your ideals clash. You understand Hoshido in a way that she never will, and it has become your home no matter where you were born... Eve feels the same way about Nohr. The mystery she seeks to solve... She cannot do so on her own. Not without the pieces you can give her."

"The mystery she wishes to solve? What mystery?"

"You're a wise woman, Aqua... You can't be blind to this situation any more than Eve or I are. All of the hatred between Nohr and Hoshido... What does it gain? Why is it happening now? There are many questions we do not have the answers to... and I think, in truth, the same can be said for those fighting the war." Aidan turned back away from her, his eyes narrowing and betraying emotion for the first time since he and Eve had been left alone in the centre of the battlefield. There was frustration and confusion creasing his brow, and his lips thinned into a deeper frown as he questioned aloud, "What do these supposed enemies _really_ know of each other? If Ryouma does not know Marx's name, when he is the son of the man murdered by Marx's father, can you truly call that normal? I don't think so, and neither does Eve... Which is why we stand here. We will learn nothing by following blindly."

Aqua did not answer, surprised by the keenness of his words and insight, and she could only follow his gaze to the battlefield that lay ahead. The scouts were beginning to move, scanning the area ahead and their enemies in preparation for battle, and the songstress was well aware that their time was growing thin. Eve would soon move to intercept the two forces, and there was no doubt that her twin and servants would follow, which left Aqua wondering where her lance would fall when the fighting began.

'And yet... They question. They refuse to look away and seek easy answers... Can I truly abandon them if their will is this strong? They are willing to risk everything to accomplish even more... and neither seem to regret this, despite the pain. If even a man such as Aidan is willing to put his faith in his sister... If Mikoto was willing to put her faith in her daughter...'

"It's time."

Aidan's quiet declaration shook Aqua from her thoughts, and she looked up sharply to see the prince unsheathing his blade and taking a step forward to join his sister. Eve had likewise tensed her posture, with the two servants flanking her likewise holding their own weapons as they readied themselves for the charge. The scouts had both come within battling distance on either end of the field, and it was clear Eve did not intend for either of them to meet their foes without putting herself in between them as a physical barrier. Her expression was no longer grim but instead intensely focused, and for a brief moment, Aqua saw Mikoto's face in Eve's and understood completely how futile her own worries now were.

"Hold, Aidan... I shall join you."

The words, while welcome, surprised the young man and forced him to look away from his twin and back to the dancer. Her golden eyes were no longer cloudy, but instead were shining with determination and calm that spoke of a mind made up. However, there was no relief in Aidan's expression, and his eyes narrowed as he looked her over intently. He spoke tersely, hand tightening on the hilt of the identical blade that he shared with his twin, "Why the change of heart, Aqua? What convinced you to throw your lot in with us? It wasn't me. You aren't the type to take advice, especially that of someone you dislike."

"I do not dislike you, Aidan. I may not know you, and I may be wary of you, but that is not dislike. You have a quick wit and a strong arm, but more importantly, you had Mikoto's complete trust." Aqua answered him bluntly, but she was surprised to see that the intensity in Aidan's eyes faded to be replaced with something approaching appreciation. She did not allow it to startle her for too long, and she shook her head as she continued firmly, her own hand gripping down on the handle of the lance she held, "You and your sister are willing to put everything on the line for peace... and I understand and respect that resolve. It was the same determination my own mother had when she laid down her life to protect the ones she loved, just as Mikoto did. I wish to honour that. If you will allow me, I would follow you down the path you've chosen."

To her complete surprise, after a beat of silence, she heard Aidan chuckle quietly in response to her words. He shook his head slowly, shoulders slightly twitching in response to his laughter before he rolled them completely back. His taut form relaxed, and his lips cocked into a half-smile that showed more emotion than Aqua had ever seen on his face as he replied in an almost genial tone, "It isn't my place to give you permission... That would be my sister's. I won't speak for her, but for the moment, I think your lance would be most welcome."

He said nothing else, turning on his heel and leaving to join his sister, and Aqua was momentarily left behind to marvel at what had just happened. It was as if she had just seen a completely different man beneath the one she knew to be the elder twin, and the songstress was not entirely sure how to digest such a thing. His laughter had been genuine, almost appreciative of her firmness without being patronizing, and it left her floundering in bewilderment. He truly was a mercurial being, unable to be caught even when one thought they understood him, and it made Aqua wonder if even Eve was capable of predicting him with any real accuracy.

That mystery however was to remain unanswered as she realized that there was no time to dwell, and Aqua was quick to give chase to the elder prince to join Eve's side. To her surprise, Aidan did not speak to Eve to tell her of what happened, instead leaving the younger sibling to turn to her in surprise at her presence. Her ruby eyes widened a little before her brow furrowed in concern, but it was the words that followed next that drew Aqua up short yet again when Eve spoke.

"Aqua? Are you sure you should be here? Don't you belong on the Hoshidan lines?"

It was a question that brought no judgment despite the inferences made, and for a beat, Aqua took a moment to appreciate how much Eve took after Mikoto. It was a question asked out of genuine concern for her well-being, casting aside all else to worry over her despite the situation she was facing, and it brought a wry smile to her face as she now understood why Aidan had seemed so amused only seconds earlier. Stifling a chuckle of her own, Aqua answered with a calm she was surprised she felt, "No, Eve... I believe this is where I belong. Fighting alongside you and your brother. That is, if you would have me."

Eve blinked, and though there was no doubt that she wished to press the golden-eyed dancer on her decision, there was simply no time left for her to do so. Her lips pursed in an unhappy frown, and she took a moment to direct the full force of her expression on her twin brother in a tacit understanding that he had made some sort of contribution to Aqua's decision without her knowledge. Aidan simply shrugged his shoulders at the accusatory glare, and the younger sister could only sigh with annoyance before she turned back to Aqua and admitted weakly, "I don't think I'm in a position to turn away any help that we can get at this point."

"No, you are not. And time is short, so there is no time to question me, either." Aqua replied briskly, and she was surprised by the smile she felt curling at her lips when Eve could only look at her with grudging amusement and appreciation. At least she knew she could predict how Eve would react, she truly was her mother's daughter, and it gave Aqua no small amount of satisfaction and comfort to know that her lance would be perfectly at home beside the daughter of Mikoto's sword. Her voice softened, her eyes warm and her tone gentle when she added in an almost conciliatory manner, "But you may later, if you still find yourself troubled. I won't argue that."

"I'm glad to hear so. I'm going to need someone to argue with that won't remind me of a brick wall." The joke came tersely and with a low undercurrent of bitterness, but it lasted only a moment as Eve roughly shook her head from side to side. Her ruby eyes flickered back, examining the faces of those standing at her side, and their calm and trusting expressions only bolstered her resolve. They were ready to follow her lead, and she was not permitted to show misgivings now. She had made her choice, and there was no turning back. She had to lead.

Yato gleamed faintly in the noontime light, and for a brief moment, Eve allowed herself an instant of regret. Though her siblings, both Hoshidan and Nohr, were yet to be on the battlefield, she knew it would only be a matter of time before her sword would turn against them. Their loyalty demanded nothing else. The mere thought made her ache, made her wish there was a way to solve the puzzle beyond brute force, but she knew there truly was nothing left to her. Her only relief was that today her sword could be turned against faces she did not know, all to prepare her for the day she saw her siblings on the opposing end of the battlefield. It was a day she did not relish coming, but she would prepare herself for it all the same.

Eve stood tall, taking the first step forward and well aware that the four beside her would move in tandem behind her. She felt strangely at peace in command, knowing full well that she could be leading her family and friends to injury and death, but confident in the choices that led her to leadership. Her mother had told her that her idealism was not wrong. That her desire for peace between her families was not a sin. She would not balk. She could not balk.

"Very well, you four... Let us move out."

 **AN:**

 **This might have taken a hell of a lot longer than I wanted it to. I mean, damn, another Fire Emblem game came and went while I was stewing on this. Makes me wonder if Fates fanfiction is still desired in the fandom. -chuckle-**

 **Mind you, with that said, don't expect any Echoes fanfiction from me. I played the game, enjoyed it a bit, but not anywhere near the way I did Awakening or Fates. It's not really to my taste, though it's quite obviously Fire Emblem fare that everyone loves. But people weren't kidding when they called Alm's game a bit of a black sheep. But that's the only commentary I'll leave here, as mostly everybody's reading because they want Fates stuff, right? XD**

 **Also, can we talk about Warriors? It looks so badass. I cannot wait for it. Nor can I wait to write for it. It'll be hysterical. I know it looks like the Awakening crew got pulled in en media res, and not so much for the Fates group, but I guess we'll see when it gets released, eh? But this is a perfect scenario to throw everybody together and cause a hell of a lot of shit without calling it a straight AU. I think that'll be plenty fun for everybody once it's out and running around. I loved LOZ: Warriors, so I'm pretty stoked for FE: Warriors. I'm hoping beyond hope for an Adult Tiki announcement along Robin, Chrom, Frederick and Lissa... Who are you guys hoping for?**

 **I know it's been awhile, and I promise I still have ideas in my head, it's just a matter of getting them down. I may be jumping ahead from now on, as there are a lot of stories I want to tell and doing it all chronologically is kind of taking a toll on my creativity... but I want to write, and I want you all to read, so I'm gonna try my best to post a few things before summer is over, okay? Please drop a review if you feel the need, and thank you all for reading!**

 **Mood: Anxious.  
Listening To: "Radioactive" - Within Temptation Cover (Imagine Dragons)**

\- Sky


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